


The prat and the idiot

by Shaak



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Fluff, M/M, Misunderstandings, Uther being a prat
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-21
Updated: 2017-01-21
Packaged: 2018-09-17 16:57:51
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,811
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9334316
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shaak/pseuds/Shaak
Summary: Prompt: Modern AU. Merlin is trying to park his car, he hits Arthur's motorcycle. They want to leave the insurance company out of it. Or "what do I owe you?" "Maybe your phone number?" (Slash)





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [that_shipper](https://archiveofourown.org/users/that_shipper/gifts).



> Hey ! Here's your second gift, I hope you'll like it !

Merlin was late, and completely stressed out. He should have been at work at least an hour ago, but his alarm didn't ring, and he overslept. He truly blamed Gwaine for that, since he wouldn't have slept that much if his friend hadn't awaken him at two in the morning, completely drunk and begging him to come and get him because he had been thrown out of the pub after fighting with a guy. Merlin had been exasperated, but he did go to get him, and then he had had to help him to go to sleep. In the end, Merlin went to bed again at five, and that's why he overslept.

So, it was basically Gwaine's fault that he was late. Still, he was pretty sure that his boss wouldn't care about it, and he was very probably going to get fired. Uther Pendragon wasn't known to be a kind and understanding man. He had once fired the courier after ten years of work because he had misplaced one single letter. So, Merlin would be fired, that much was sure. Really, he almost should have stayed in bed and wait for a phone call telling him never to put a foot in the building again, but here he was, finally arriving on the enterprise's parking.

Lost in his mind, he didn't start to park very well, and went backwards without taking time to watch in his rear-view mirror. Thus, his eyes went wide and he let out a loud curse when he hit something. Quickly undoing his belt, he rushed out of the car, and realized he had hit a motorcycle. The man had fallen and was on the floor, and Merlin rushed at his side.

"Oh God, I'm so sorry, are you alright?" He asked, holding his hand out to help him to get up. The man grabbed it and got up before taking his helmet off. It seemed to Merlin that he had seen this blond hair, sharp jaw and blue eyes before, but he didn't think too much of it, instead focusing on making sure the man wasn't hurt too badly.

"Yeah, I'm fine" He said, and Merlin felt relieved.

"I'm really sorry, I didn't watch in the mirror, and I didn't see you coming."

"Yeah, I could have guessed that." The man snorted, and he bent down to check his motorcycle. The machine didn't seem to be too damaged, and neither was Merlin's car.

"It's fine, I'll just have to have it repaint a bit, but I don't think it's really necessary to involve the insurance company, is it?" The man was smiling now, leaning against Merlin's car with his arms crossed on his chest.

"Well, I'm definitely not going to complain if you don't want to involve them" Merlin shrugged. "Though it's still my fault, I can pay for the painting if you want."

"No need really" the man chuckled, "I have enough money to buy another one if I wanted to, and I'm pretty sure you don't."

Merlin's eyes narrowed slightly at the insult, but he didn't say anything.

"Alright, what do I owe you then?"

A broad smile appeared on the man's face, who tilted his head slightly. "How about your phone number?"

Merlin frowned, and his moth hung slightly open. "What?" Sure, the guy was handsome, stunning even, but surely he couldn't be serious. Why would such a man be interested in someone like him?

But the man just chuckled and looked straight into his eyes with a small smile. "Your phone number, you know, so I can call you and you can buy me a coffee or something."

"I don't even know your name" Merlin said before realizing it.

"I'm Arthur."

"Merlin", he answered, before remembering where he was, and thus making the connection with why the man seemed familiar. "Wait, are you Arthur Pendragon?"

"I see my reputation precedes me" Arthur nodded. "So, that number?"

"Oh for God's sake, I'm so fucked" Merlin cursed, and Arthur raised a brow. "It's half past nine and I was supposed to start at eight, and now I've hit my boss's son with my car" he explained with broad moves, "If there was any doubt, it's now certain, I don't have a job anymore!"

It wasn't Arthur's fault, sure, but Merlin was still exceeded. He really shouldn't have gotten up.

"Alright, calm down, it's not that bad." Arthur said, rolling his eyes.

"Not that bad?" Merlin repeated, outraged. "Do you even know your father? I was already dead earlier, but now my entire family's dead as well!"

Arthur rolled his eyes again and laughed, earning a glare from Merlin.

"What if I save your job? Will you finally agree to give me your number then?" Arthur asked, and Merlin frowned.

"I'm not asking you to do anything."

"No you're not, I'm offering. Look, you're cute, and I want to see you again, so I don't mind talking to my father to save your job if that's what it takes to get your damn number."

Merlin narrowed his eyes. "You don't have to buy me, you know. I would have given you my number, and I would have paid you all the coffees you wish, but you know what, go to hell! I'm not a property you can buy by talking to your daddy!"

"I'm not…" Arthur started to say, but Merlin didn't stay to listen. Instead, he went back into his car, parked it properly and rushed to the building without as much as a glance in Arthur's direction. He had heard rumors saying that Uther's son was a pompous prat, but he was even worse than that. Fortunately, he knew that Arthur didn't actually work with his father, and so it meant he wouldn't have to see him again, unless he unfortunately ran into him, after getting fired, since the prat was obviously here to see Uther.

 

Merlin all but ran to Uther's desk, but was stopped in his race by Gwen, who beckoned him.

"Hi Gwen" He said, "can we talk later, I'm late and I need to see the boss!"

"Oh, sure" She nodded, but seemed disappointed. "I just wanted to thank you for introducing me to Lance, we're really getting on."

"That's great!" He said, and glanced toward Uther's desk, freezing when he spotted Arthur getting there. "Okay, you know what, I have time after all. Tell me all about it!" He smiled, and Gwen started to talk, obviously more than happy about her relationship with Lance.

 

About the time Gwen was done, Arthur got out of Uther's desk, and looked around, obviously looking for Merlin. Merlin moved in a darker place, hiding, but couldn't miss Arthur's disappointed face and he felt bad. Maybe he should have let him a chance instead of getting mad as soon as he offered to help him with his job. Arthur hadn't really done anything that was that bad, it just had hit on Merlin's nerves. But then, what was done was done, so Merlin pushed the thought away and walked to Uther.

The man was sitting at his desk, and he raised his head as soon as Merlin entered. "Merlin," He greeted him, and Merlin frowned. Uther generally couldn't remember his name, he always had to remind him of it. "I've heard you're late. Would you care to explain yourself?"

"I… I didn't hear my alarm and overslept. I'm truly sorry, sir." He said eventually, preparing himself to face Uther's wrath.

But Uther simply hummed, and Merlin started to find the whole situation pretty weird. "Well then, I suggest you buy another alarm. I would like it if it never happens again. You can go."

Merlin looked at him, dumbfounded, before nodding. But as he reached the door, he couldn't help but ask. "Did Arthur ask you not to fire me?" He bit his lip as soon as the words left his mouth. He was really going to get fired if he kept annoying Uther.

Uther looked up at him and raised a brow. "You know my son?"

"Uh… Not really, I just met him outside, but I uh…"

"Well, he certainly didn't utter a word about you." Uther said. "I suggest you leave him alone. You may go and start to work."

Merlin nodded and left quickly. He had sort of hoped that Arthur had pleaded his cause, because then he would have had an excuse to get his number and apologize for his behavior on the parking, but Arthur had obviously already moved on.

 

 

A few days later, Gwaine had brought Merlin to a pub –a new one, since he was forbidden to enter the other one –and they were both at the bar, drinking, when Merlin looked around and his eyes locked themselves with blue ones he hadn't seen since he left them on a parking. Merlin muttered an excuse to Gwaine and got up quickly before he lost Arthur in the crowd.

As he made his way to him, Arthur watched him, brows raised and arms crossed.

"I thought you didn't want to see me again."

"I never said that" Merlin shrugged. "Look, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have gotten that mad. I guess you were just trying to help, and…"

"So you lost your job, after all, uh?" Arthur asked with a smile, and Merlin frowned.

"Actually, I haven't. I'm not sure why, but I'm not complaining."

This time, it was Arthur who frowned. "Oh, I see." He said softly, looking disappointed. "I'll go then."

He went to bypass him, but Merlin grabbed his arm. "Wait! You're the one who wanted to ask your father to keep me, and now you look like you'd rather have me being fired, what the hell is wrong with you?"

"Why did you come to see me?" Arthur asked, looking almost mad now. "Do you think it's funny? Well guess what, it's not! If you don't want to give me a chance, fine, but you don't have to rub it in my face, Merlin."

"What are you even talking about? I came to you because I regret not giving you my number the other day, and I thought that we could have a drink or something! Are you going to be a prat every time I see you?"

"Oh, I'm being a prat? You're the one who chose to stay working with my father as a simple secretary instead of getting a better job, just because you didn't want to see me, and now you're pretending you want us to be friends? I'm not the prat here, Merlin you are!" Arthur shouted, not caring that some people had turned around to look at them.

"What better job? I have no fucking idea what you're talking about!" Merlin shouted as well, and Arthur looked dumbfounded, as though it had understood something.

"Wait, what did my father say to you?"

"Not much. He said I'd better buy another alarm so I wouldn't be late anymore, and when I asked if you had said something to him, because really he fired people for less than that, he said you didn't utter a word about me."

Arthur ran a hand through his hair and nodded, looking pretty mad, before bypassing him. "Excuse me" He said, and left the pub in a hurry, leaving Merlin inside, wondering what the hell had just happened. Determined to know the truth, Merlin made his way to the door and followed Arthur. He couldn't see him at first, and sighed in disappointment, before he heard someone that could only be him yelling. He found him in a corner, shouting at the phone.

"I'll call you later" he said coldly when he saw Merlin, who looked at him expectantly.

"I didn't mean to talk about you to my father" Arthur sighed. "But he saw us through the window, and even though he couldn't remember your name, he knew you worked for him. So I said the truth, I said we had just met and that I liked you. I… I've noticed before, when I came to see my father, I just never had any reason to talk to you. He…pretended he wasn't bothered by it, but that he couldn't have me dating one of his employees, because he could be accused of favoritism. So he said he would give you a choice. You could either keep working for him but never see me again, or you could leave your job and come work with me and Morgana. She's my sister, we started our own enterprise a few months ago, and it may not be ideal, but you wouldn't be a secretary anymore and more of a partner and I thought that if you liked me back, maybe you'd think it was worth it."

"Arthur… He never said a word about all that, I didn't know." Merlin said softly, now understanding why Arthur had seemed so disappointed when he heard he was still working for Uther.

"I thought… I thought my father had changed, I thought he really wanted for me to be happy. I guess I was wrong." Arthur said eventually. "Anyway, I know we didn't start in a good way, and I can't promise that our business will work, nor that you and I will, but I'd still like to try, if you'll have it."

Arthur sounded unsure now, and Merlin couldn't help but smile, before throwing himself at Arthur and kissing him softly. Arthur wrapped his arms around his waist and kissed back. "Does that mean I can have your number, now?" He whispered in his ear, and Merlin laughed.

"You also can have the coffee."

Arthur smiled, and grabbed his hand, leading him away from the pub. "I'm not sure coffee shops are still open at that time."

"Well then, I guess I can make you coffee instead of buying you one." Merlin shrugged, still smiling, and Arthur followed him happily.

 

In the morning, Arthur woke up on the couch, as he insisted to sleep there, not wanting Merlin to think he just wanted to shag him or something. He found Merlin in the kitchen, making breakfast.

"So, when am I meeting your sister?"

"Trust me you don't want to, she's a dreadful witch."

"How am I supposed to work with her without actually seeing her, then?" Merlin chuckled, sipping at his coffee, and Arthur opened wide eyes.

"You mean you're in?"

Merlin shrugged. "Why not? I never really liked working for Uther anyway, I just didn't have anything else to do. And", he put the cup down and leaned closer to Arthur, "I might like you back."

"You do?" Arthur leaned closer as well, their faces at mere inches from each other.

Merlin hummed, and captured his lips in a soft kiss.

"Your father won't be happy about it", Merlin said eventually, and Arthur shrugged.

"Why should I care about his happiness ? He certainly doesn't care about mine."

A few hours later, when he came back from lunch, Uther found a resignation letter on his desk.

 

 

Two weeks later, Merlin had actually started to work in Arthur and Morgana's company, and he enjoyed it far more than he had enjoyed his job for Uther. Arthur had refused to talk to his father since that day, and was swearing he would never say a word to him anymore. Merlin would rather die than admit it to him, but he, Morgana and Gwaine had actually started to bet on when Uther would apologize and when Arthur would call him back.

That night, Merlin was spending the evening at Arthur's, and, after a few kisses and many drinks, Arthur led him to the bedroom. They tumbled a few times before getting there, and managed to take their clothes off between messy kisses.

Arthur threw Merlin on the bed and licked at his jaw and neck, earning a few moans. Merlin rolled them over and kissed him sloppily, wrapping a hand around his cock, hiding a smile in Arthur's neck when he started to moan loudly.

Before he could realize it, he was on his back, his hard member enveloped by Arthur's wet and hot mouth. His hand clenched in Arthur's hair, who hummed around his cock, making Merlin moan and shiver. He suddenly felt oiled and slick fingers at his entrance, and raised his hips, not trusting his voice to give Arthur permission.

Arthur fingered him slowly, hitting his prostate every time, and kissing him passionately at the same time. Soon, he replaced his fingers with his own hard-on, and they were both panting and moaning, clutching at each other and whispering the other's name until they came.

As Arthur pulled out and fell next to him, resting his head on Merlin's chest and intertwining their fingers, Merlin knew with his heart he had made the right choice by choosing him.


End file.
